Beer pump



O. J. LEINS Nov.. 17, 1936.

BEER PUMP Filed Jan. l2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENTOR.

Nov. 17, 1936. Q L EINS y 2,061,240

BEER PUMP Filed Jan. l2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Pyle-77M v l ATTORNEY) Patented Nov. 17, 1,936

PATENT @FFIQE BEER PUMP Oscar J. Leins, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor toMilwaukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin VApplication January 12, 1934, Serial No. 706,347

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in beer dispensers or pumps ofthe type designed for use by the consumers in drawing or dispensing beeror similar beverages from kegs, barrels or similar containers.

The invention lends itself to embodiment in a structure employing eithera hand pump or a cartridge or small drum of carbon dioxide, for placinga headV of pressure on the beverage.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve, simplify and compactthe construction of a device of this character so as to render itsproduction easy and economical with the consequence that the pump may besold at a reasonable and popular price.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pump ordispenser having the advantages Amentioned and which facilitates thedrawing of the beer and tends to keep it in better condition than priorpumps of similar character.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is oflight weight, attractive in appearance, easily handled and operated andalso easy and convenient to apply to or remove from a keg or barrel.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts which will behereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing one typel of beer pump inwhich the present invention may be embodied, parts being broken away andshown in section for the sake of illustration; 4

Figure 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in transversevertical section further i1- lustrating the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the valve shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in transversevertical section illustrating a slight modification of the pumpstructure;

Figure 6 'is a fragmentary view in side elevation and partly intransverse vertical section villustrating another embodiment of theinvention;`

Figure 7 isv a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section,the section being taken on line 'I-1 of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the nger piecesprovided on the valve casing to facilitate operation of the valve.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, thenumeral I designates a keg or barrel of beer. The upper head 2 of thebarrel is equipped with the usual bung bushing or tap fitting 3 withwhich any conventional or known tap 4 may interlock to secure inposition a tap tube or draft tube 5, the tap, in addition to securingthe tube 5 in place, performing its usual function of provi-ding theseals between the bung bushing and the tap and the tap tube.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the taptube 5 is connected to the inlet nipple 6 of a valve casing 1. A passage8 is provided in the casing 'I and extends from the inlet nipple 6 to anoutlet 9 which discharges through a faucet or nozzle structure I0. Arubber valve thimble II is disposed in the passage 8 and is socompressed as to block or seal this passage under the influence of itsinherent elasticity. One end of the nipple I I is flanged as at I2 andsuch flange seats against an abutment or seat I3 provided on the casing.A retainingl nut I4 and Washer I5 secure the nipple in position.

A push rod or valve ro-d I6 is slidably tted in an opening I'I providedtherefor in the retaining nut I4. On the outer end of this rod I 6 aknob I8 is provided. The inner end I9 of the rod I6 engages the closedend of the thimble and when the push rod I6 is pressed inwardly servesto stretch the thimble with the result that its periphery is disengagedfrom the wallA of the passage 8 to allow liquid or uid to flow from thetube 5 through the passage 8 to the outlet 9 and thence out through thefaucet I0. As soon as pressure on the knob I8 is released, theelasticity of the valve thimble II returns it into sealing engagementwith the wall of the passage-way and re-positions the valve rod therebyshutting o further flow. Portions 2| of the rod may be -attened orslabbed down to limit the extent to which the push rod I6 may be movedoutwardly through the nut I4.

As shown to advantage in Figure 8, the valve casing 'I is preferablyprovided with finger pieces 22 which extend outwardly or laterally fromthe opposite sides thereof. They may be readily grasped with the fingerwhile the knob I8 is pressed in with the thumb. Such manner of operatingthe valves precludes the possibility of the dis- 26. An outer pump tube21 is mounted to slide up and down along the inner pump tube and forthis purpose has a guide ring 28 lat its lower end slidably'tting on'theinner pump tube and is provided with an operating cap or knob A29 at itsupper end which may be conveniently grasped A* when the outer pump tubeis to be reciprocated.

The piston of the pump is stationary, being des-;

ignated generally at 30, and being supportedby the upper end of theinner pump tdbelll. v

As illustrated, the piston 30 lcomprises acupped leather washer 3l, theinner peripheralport'ion of which is clamped between metallic yves-hers32 by means of a clamp screw 33 which is interthreaded as at 34 With avalve housing35. This valve `housing 35 is a press `i'l't in the upper-end of the inner pumptube .26 'vor may be secured `in such position vin.any desired Way. The .clamp screw 33 has an axial opening :35therethrough. The valve .employed Aisjdesignated at .36 Aand, as shown;consists of a rubber cylinder .having one end open and secured -to thevalve casing 35 by means ,of a valve insert 31 threaded tothe interiorof the valve casing and .clamping the upper end of the valve cylinder`3:5 thereto. .The lower end of the valve cylinder `3.6 VVis closed as:indicated at .38. Aslotor slit 39 is provided .in the body .of thecylinder 36 and extends longitudinallythereof.

With this construction, when the knob 29 :is grasped :and pulledupwardly the pump tube 21 is carried with it. The space .above'thepiston 30 and defined .by this piston, t-he knob .29 1and the .portionof .the pump .tubef21 .above the r`piston then become larger. .Due totherarefaction voccuring `.in this space, .air will ow past .the guide4ring 2.8 .up through the .space betweenthe .tubes .25 and .21, past the.upwardly facing cuppedleather Washer 3l .of .the piston and into the.space above .the piston and defined thereby vand by the .knob.2.9 andthe 4por-tion of the valve tube 21 above the piston. The tendency whichthe outer cylinder21 and its .knob or head ,29 have to draw air into thespace therein above the ,piston 30 will not draw vin through theslit39., .the action being such as to tend .to .close this slit. However,when the outer .cylinder 21 and its .head 29 are pushed downwardly thecupped-washer 3l, .of the piston will be expanded .into sealingengagement with the inner wall of the cylinder 21 `anldlthe .entrappedair will .be forced .through the opening 25 of .the clamping screw 23through `the ,opening .of the valve insert .androut through 'the slit 39into Ythe inner valve pump tube 26. .Y 4 Y A gas or air supply Vortransfer pipe 4B is provided forl transferring thel air 'from this innervalve tube 26 intothel interior of the 'keg at a point just above thebeer 4line (when'the keg is full). lAs shown, this pipe "'40 "extendsthrough an openingl provided inthe boss 25 andthen 'passes down throughlthe, draft tube for tjap tube 5, the pipe line 4D having its lower endbent'as at 42 and extended through 'an openingI LIl? provided thereforin the draft tube. vlSolder or 'thelike 4designated at 44 and '45 may beemployed for securing the ends yofthe-pipe di) in position. With thisarrangement the air pressure `is built up over the surface of the beerand the disadvantage of :causing air to ilowthrough the beer Yisavoided;

The construction shown in lgnre 5 'is identical with that just describedwith l.the :exception that ing 1 contains the same type of valvemechanism fas that show-n in 'Figure 2.

' `In the form `of the inventionv shown in Figures 6 and '1 the hand`pump is eliminated and is replaced by acartridge :or drum of carbondioxide. As there illustrated, the tapping tube has its upper yendinterconnected with the inlet' nipple 5.1 .of -a casing 552.Communicating with the inlet nipple is a passage-way 53 which terminatesin atfaueet or zdischa-rgespout 54 and which has a valve 55 made lup of.a rubber .thimble .H and the cooperable parts previously described. pIn `this 1form of the invention vthe gas .transfer pi-pe is designatedat 5.6 an-d, as before; extends through the tapping rod, its lower end.51 extending laterally through the Vrod and its upper end being.soldered as at 58 -to a ,ported partition provided in the `casingy5.72. casing -52is provided with a lchamber 59 to which .access may -behad -byremoving the plug B0. .A drum -or cartridge 6l lof .carbonxdioxide has its neck 62 threaded into av nipple 6.3 provided .on the L.

casing 52 4adjacent ithechamber `59, the neck Seating against -afgasketB4. For puncturing the seal- .ing cap .65 of the drum -or cartridge andmetering the 4flow of gas, a 4needle valve 6E is provided and is carriedby an operating stern vor .screw 61 indicated :at '58 and suitablypackedkas indicated at .69. With `this construction, the serrated orknurled knob^10 of the valve .stem 51 4may be 'turned to cause thepointed end or the valve =6.6 to puncture the cap 65 and then the valve56 may be kfurther .adjusted -t-o regulate the flow of gas pressurethrough the ,punctured cap .and into the chamber .59 :and subsequentlythrough the pipe 55 into the y,space within the keg or barrel above thebeer. faucetx54 by simply pressing .in on .the valve rod or push .rod|'6 as before. y

While I have shown and `described several constructionsin Vwhich my.inventonfmay be embodied, it is to be understood that these structureshave been selected .merely for -the purpose of illustration or exampleand various changes vin the size, shape and arrangement -of the partsmay be made withoutideparting from the Aspirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

. The invention claimed is:

1. A device for dispensing beverages from `a container comprising a taptube )adapted .for insertion in said container, a valve :casing carriedby @said tube and `having a discharge spout adapted to communicate lwiththe interior of the tube, a valve controlling communication vbetweenSaid tube zand said spout, there beingra section 4of tubing 'Ehe beermay be 'dispensedthrough the l` of the valve casing. The operation ofthis modv KV'ili'cation is the same as that of the device rst=fdesmribed and it will be understood that lthe cas- ,3.0 On one .si-deof this partition the .w40 threadedly interconnected with the casing `52as above the casing, a piston and valve carried by ,fm

pressed air from said .section of tubing into the 75 interior of thecontainer at a point above the level of the beverage therein wherebysaid cylinder and said valve may be conjointly employed to dispensebeverages from said container.

2. A device for dispensing beverages from a container comprising a taptube adapted for insertion in said container, a valve casing carried bysaid tube and having a discharge spout adapted to communicate with theinterior of the tube, a valve controlling communication between saidtube and said spout, there being a section of tubing above the casing, apiston and valve carried by said section of tubing, a cylindercooperable with said piston and reciprocable along said section oftubing for compressing air within the section of tubing, and a transferpipe smaller than and extending through the tap tube and having one endcommunicating with said section of tubing and having its other endextending transversely through the tap tubing.

3. A device for dispensing a beverage from a container comprising asingle tap tube adapted to be inserted in the container, a portion ofsaid tube extending outside of said container, a valve casing having acylindrical portion in which said portion of said tap tube is fitted andsecured whereby said casing is supported in spaced relation to saidcontainer, said valve casing extending radially outwardly from said taptube and being provided at its outer end with a discharge spout, therebeing a passage in said valve casing for establishing communicationbetween said tap tube and said spout, a valve biased to closed positionand operable to prevent flow of uid from the tap tube to the dischargespout, means movable radially inwardly of said tube carried by saidcasing and cooperable with the valve for opening the same, and means onsaid casing adapted for conjoint use with said first named means topreclude torsional and bending strains being placed on said casing andtube upon operation of said valve.

4. A device for dispensing a beverage from a container comprising a tapItube adapted for insertion in said container, valve controlled meanscooperable with said tap tube for regulating the discharge of fiuidtherefrom, there being a section of tubing above said valve controlmeans, a piston i'lxed to the upper end of said section and having anopening therethrough, a check valve associated with the piston toprovide for flow of fluid into said section and preclude exhaust, and areciprocable cylinder cooperable with said piston and movable back andforth with respect to the section to build up pressure in said section,there being means establishing communication between the interior ofsaid section and the container.

5. A device of the character described comprising a tap tube having alateral opening through the wall thereof intermediate its ends, a valvecasing tted on the tube and having a passage communicating with saidopening, said valve casing being also provided with a spout and incommunication with said opening, a valve for controlling the flowthrough said passage, and means cooperable with the tube above thecasing for supplying gas under pressure.

6. A device for dispensing beverages from a container comprising a taptube adapted for insertion in said container, a valve casing positionedoutside of and out of contact with said container, vertical andhorizontal passages Within said casing, said passages beinginter-communicative, a discharge nozzle for said horizontal passageformed integral with said casing, a valve for said nozzle within saidhorizontal passage, said vertical passage fitting around and secured tosaid tube to hold said tube and casing in related position, means on theoutside of and carried by said casing for supplying gas under pressure,and a transfer pipe carried by and within said casing and tap tube, saidpipe transferring gas from said means to the outside of said tube at apoint within said container.

'7. A device for dispensing carbonated beverages comprising a tap tube,a valve casing associated with the tap tube having a vertical andtransverse passage, a portion at least of said vertical passageaccommodating said tap tube, the inner end of said transverse passagecommunicating with the tap tube, a spout connected with the outer end ofthe transverse passage, a valve in the transverse passage forcontrolling iiow therefrom to the spout, means for supplying gas underpressure, a gas transfer pipe smaller than the tap tube and extendingtherethrough, the lower end of the gas transfer pipe extendingtransversely through the tap tube, and means coacting with the upper endof the gas transfer pipe to shut oi communication between said gassupply means and said tap tube while providing for communication betweensaid gas supply means and said gas transfer pipe.

OSCAR J. LEINS.

